Serbia and Kosovo

A rapprochement between two former foes

IVICA Dačić (pictured on the left), Serbia’s prime minister was in jocular mood. Abandoning a prepared speech to the Friends of Europe annual Balkan conference in Brussels on December 5th, he spoke on a variety of topics and told an anecdote from his dinner, the night before, with Hashim Thaci (pictured on the right), prime minister of Kosovo, and Catherine Ashton, the EU’s foreign policy chief.

“I said: ‘Why don’t we build a highway to [the southern Serbian city of ] Niš?’ Thaci said, ‘Why don’t we ask the EU for money for that?’. Lady Ashton said: “Now you two are against me.’ So, I said: ‘You asked us for normalisation of relations, well give us the money!’”

The anecdote is telling. Recently Mr Dačić said that if he had met Mr Thaci during the Kosovo war of 1998-99 he would have killed him. Now he says that it is imperative for both men to find a solution to the lingering issue of relations between Kosovo and Serbia, which is preventing both countries from moving forward.

In Serbia Mr Thaci has been reviled as a man alleged to have been involved in murder of Serbs for their organs. In Kosovo Mr Dačić is remembered as the right hand of Slobodan Milošević, the Serbian leader who repressed Kosovo and finally fought Mr Thaci’s Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA) and then NATO.

After three meetings, it became clear that the personal chemistry between the two men is surprisingly good. When last summer Tomislav Nikolić , Serbia’s president, said that he wanted to raise the European Union’s Serbia-Kosovo dialogue from a technical to a political level, the idea seemed premature. In the wake of the meetings presided over by Lady Ashton, it is clear they are bearing fruit.

On December 4th the two leaders made progress on a number of issues especially on how to regulate border crossings. Kosovo declared independence from Serbia in 2008 and Serbia does not recognise the new country, but increasingly it is coming to terms with the fact. One of the items agreed upon at the dinner was that Serbia and Kosovo would now place “liaison officers” in Belgrade and Pristina respectively. When a history of the diplomatic relations between the two is written it may well be that the story of the liaison officers are the first chapter.

Mr Dačić, says he is “ready and prepared for a permanent and final solution” between Kosovo and Serbia. “It needs to be just, to respect the legitimate interests of Serbs and Albanians. We need to reach a solution acceptable to both sides.”

What the solution is, Mr Dačić won’t or can’t say. “We don’t dispute the right of Albanians because they don’t want to live together with Serbs. But for us, what is crucial, is the question of the status of the Serbs who don’t want to live in an independent Kosovo.” Some 130,000 Serbs live in Kosovo. Perhaps 40,000 live in the north, which abuts Serbia and is not under the control of the government of Kosovo. They are now protesting about the border agreement.

Both sides want something from being seen to cooperate in the EU talks. Kosovo wants to make progress on getting visa-free travel to Europe’s Schengen zone. Serbia would like to get a date to start EU accession talks. Stefan Füle, the EU’s enlargement commissioner told the Friends of Europe meeting that Serbia’s government was being courageous and this should be recognised.

On November 29th the UN’s war crimes tribunal in The Hague acquitted Ramush Haradinaj, a former KLA commander of war crimes. Mr Haradinaj, a former prime minister, would like his old job back but, says Mr Dačić, Mr Thaci told him he was not about to get it. “Serbs think it is better to negotiate with Thaci than with Haradinaj,” said Mr Dačić to Mr Thaci.

The talks in Brussels took place against the backdrop of a tragic but very strange Balkan story. Just before the dinner between the two leaders Branislav Milinković, Serbia’s much-respected ambassador to NATO, was collecting a group of Serbian officials from Brussels airport. When they got to the garage Mr Milinković, who a friend said had been depressed lately, walked to a parapet, climbed over and then jumped to his death.

"So, I said: ‘You asked us for normalisation of relations, well give us the money!’”

If only Serbs had shown this much common sense back in the late 80's and early 90's Yugoslavia could have still been together (not my preferred choice as an Albanian but still better than the subsequent wars that followed) and the region would have been much better off economically. Growth was stunted for at least two decades. The Serbs are still stalling the Kosova recognition process and when they finally do it in 5 or 10 years time they'll look back and regret the time-wasting. It's a pity really. We have so much in common and could have gotten along great but I guess we'll always be pawns of the great powers who like to divide and conquer.

I dont care so much about Serbia. They have two choices. They can decide to follow EU, USA and modern democracies by engaging in good neighbourly relations with Kosovo. I dont comprehend why is it difficult for Serbia to accept Kosovo as a partner to talk to, just like England talks to Scotland? Serbia DOESNT have to recognise Kosovo, EU is just asking to normalise relationship: trade, education, energy, flu control, telecom - just regular stuff. This will bring them rapid EU accession.
Or Serbia can decide NOT to normalise relationship with Kosovo, which will destroy Serbia's relations with Western democracies and EU. This will not bring Kosovo back as Kosovo will never again be incorporated within Serbia (neither history, demographics nor facts on the ground will allow for that), but will isolate Serbia completely and make her into pariah state, like Belarus or Meciar's 90's Slovakia.
Its up to Serbia what it wants:Entrance to EU with Kosovo as a partner, or non-Eu with Kosovo not as a partner. In either way, Kosovo is completely and utterly lost for Serbia.

"That's discrimination. Unlike Israel, Kosovo Albanians have a place to return to....It is still called Albania. Right next door."

Oh I see Albanians have a place to "return to" but Serbs dont't?
The only mistake the Great Powers made was when they allowed Serbia and Montenegro to partition the Ottoman Vilayet of Kosova after the Ottomans were defeated in 1912. It was majority Albanian and should have never been allowed to be annexed by Serbia but it should have been part of the newly independent Albania. Many Serbs conveniently forget this fact. Kosova's independence was the culmination of the century old Albanian quest for independence from the Serb occupation. Had the Serbs shown some reason a century ago and not try and occupy Albanian territories, which comprise over half of the Albanian populated terriotry in the Balkans, we would have never had these problems today. You made your bed and you lie in it now.

This famous quote from Dobrica Cosic trilogy "Deobe"(Divisions) should serve as a reminder to all the readers as to what are we dealing with here:

"A lie, trait of our patriotism" “We lie to deceive ourselves, to console others, we lie for mercy, we lie to fight fear, to encourage ourselves, to hide our and somebody else's misery. We lie for love and honesty. We lie because of freedom. Lying is a trait of our patriotism and the proof of our innate intelligence. We lie creatively, imaginatively and inventively."

There is no recorded migration in history of Albanians coming from anyhwere and settling in the Balkans. However, the Serb and Slav migration is well recorded as starting some time around the 6th centuty. While you conveniently dismiss the Illyrian-Albanian connection you have no problem connecting the Serbs to the indigenous Illyrian population.

You can keep quarrelling about history and play the internet warrior, since that's the only thing that you have left whereas we are trying to build a strong Kosova. Whether you recognize Kosova's independence or not, while it'd be nice, it's not the be all end all for us. We are marching forward. You can't stop us now!!!

I love how Serbophobes always self-servingly throw the words "pragmatic" or "realistic" around when they want the Serbian gov't to adopt policies that are terrible for Serbs. I suppose by prgriffin's logic Prince Paul was "pragmatic" and the royalty in exile was chasing windmills. Even the most virulent Serbian nationalist will never dissemble their motives like prgriffin. Don't pretend to care about Serbia.

So All Former Yugo Republics and Kosovo is still allowed to announce 'independence', but 'Republika Srpska' and 'Southern Serbia' are not? That's discrimination. Unlike Israel, Kosovo Albanians have a place to return to....It is still called Albania. Right next door. The land, government and people in Serbia welcomed refugees from Albania for decades. The Serbs got the shaft and the Albanians have succeed at creating a Greater Albania Land Grab. Albania is not repressive anymore, the KLA is. The problems that Albanians have in Albania should not be solved by taking over their Serbian neighbors land in Kosovo. The solutions should be offered by the international community to improve Albania. If Cuban, Mexican and Indian enclaves in the United States were to declare 'Independence' and were acknowledged by Russia, India and China. What would the US do? Waste a lot of time and money 'defending' itself from itself. The US has made many errors in the Balkans over time, this one - too- will come back to haunt it.

Sorry pal, but history doesn't end where it is convenient for you. Since you cite the Turks you would be aware that their oldest records clearly describe KosovO as being inhabited almost entirely by Serbs http://www.kosovo.net/sk/history/kosovo_origins/ko_chapter8.html Now, by all means, start your rhetoric about how "Albanians are descendants of Illyrians etc etc" but know when you do that this is not fact. There is no proof of this. If anything ALL of the people of the Balkans are descendants of the Illyrians as they were absorbed into the Slavic population when they arrived. Kosovo is Serbian, there is no doubt. It may be occupied currently but this is bot the first time.

Hopefully the pragmatic line of new Serbian government will be more successful than the painfully unproductive and lame years of Tadic who managed to squander 8 years on nothingness. That being said, let us be careful with Serbia, always a master at dragging its feet. The agreement reached so far are the ones that were supposed to be implemented long time ago. Next year we must move promptly and decisively to full normalisation between the two countries. Towards the end of EU integration process, in 10 years or so, Serbia will also recognise Kosovo as an equal sister country in Balkans. They should then celebrate jointly as good neighbours!

Agreed. Why do Serbs think that the rest of the world is 'Serbophobic'. The fact of the matter is that most people don't ever think of Serbia. if they wish to join the civilised world then they have to behave in a civilised manner ( diplomatcally speaking ).

I don't know why am I replying to comments like these, and waste my time doing it.
But, You have the audacity to come here with historical explanations written by the Serbian 'Historians' on the W.W.WEB??? Are you aware that there are countless books, Western Government Archives, Western Historians, Vatican Archives, Otoman Archives stating one and the same thing, that the Serbs NEVER have been the majority in the in the Kosovo region.
Let me explain to you in one Paragraph.
You , the first 'Serbs', have arrived in Balkans in the 7th and 8th century and that you have FIRST settled in RASHKA not KosovO, and your language belongs to the branch of the Slavic Languages.
On the other hand, COME UP WITH ONE, proof that ALBANIANS are not Native to Balkans and that we have settled in the Balkans AFTER THE SERBS. And to top it up ALBANIAN LANGUAGE belongs to the INDOEUROPEAN branch of languages. http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/12542/Albanian-language
First there were ILLIRIANS/THRACIANS, then ALBANOI, then ARBERESH.
ARBERESH communities TODAY are all over the South of Italy, who have emigrated there in the 15th century and to this day they speak ALBANIAN, and they have preserved their culture.http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/32305/Arberesh
I recommend to start by first, buying a single book about the history of the Balkan peoples written by the Neutral Nations and not the one written by the Serbian Governments past and present, and you will enrich yourself with knowledge instead of living an ignorant life and believing the Myths and Lies that your government has thought you for years.
Don't you want to know the truth?

The problem is not how often some of you think of Serbia, but rather what you think when you think of Serbia. Obviously most of you think and parrot about Serbia negatively by default as it serves your political standpoints.